Aalirajpur (Madhya Pradesh): A leopard that had spread fear across five villages in Jobat tehsil for nearly 20 days was captured in a cage late on Tuesday night, bringing relief to residents and forest officials.
According to Forest Department sources, the leopard was trapped near Kanda village after continuous rescue efforts. News of the capture spread quickly across the area, drawing large crowds of villagers eager to see the animal that had triggered panic for weeks.
The leopard’s movement had created fear in Kanda, Banjhabayda, Hirapur Badi, Chamarvegda and Dehdala villages. Residents had reportedly spotted the animal near forests and water sources, while officials frequently found its footprints in nearby areas.
Fearing attacks, villagers stopped venturing into forests and avoided sleeping outside their homes at night. Forest department officials had installed cages at several locations, but the leopard repeatedly evaded capture.
Authorities also called a special rescue team from Indore on Tuesday evening to assist in the operation. Officials said the leopard would be released safely into a dense forest area within the district.
